“Under-funded, under-staffed and under-pressure”.
That’s how Fianna Fail Deputy John McGuinness described the Department of Psychiatry at St Lukes hospital in the Dáil last night.
He outlined how 51 patients were being cared for in a 44- bed unit on Monday saying some of the patients are in an inappropriate setting as they are forced to wait 3-6 months for counselling services.
And he questioned Minister Finian McGrath about what he plans to do to address the crisis there.
Deputy McGuinness also pointed out that people are being referred for counselling to local suicide prevention service Teac Tom.
He says its unfair as the HSE is not funding that service.